Planar Loudspeakers

MODELS:

Amphitryon

Omega

Epsilon

Omicron

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FAQ   • •   Why do planar-ribbon loudspeakers sound louder than ordinary loudspeakers of the same sensitivity?    They sound louder because the attenuation of the sound wave during its travel through the air is smaller, due to the greater dimensions of the planar loudspeaker drivers (membranes and ribbons). Theory stipulates that, with the exception of a small area close to the sound source called "near field", the sound wave experiences a drop of its amplitude by 6 dB for any doubling of distance. In the near field, the attenuation is only 3 dB. The near field extends to roughly 3 times the dimension of a loudspeaker. Although this is negligible for an ordinary tweeter (a few centimetres), the near field for a 2-meter tall ribbon tweeter reaches about 6 meters. A comparison of the loudness for two different loudspeakers of the same sensitivity according to the distance from a listener is presented in the following table. Distance:                                1m       2m       4m Ordinary tweeter:                86dB    80dB    74dB 2 meter long ribbon:            86dB    83dB    80dB This means that although at a 1-meter distance both loudspeakers sound the same, at 4 meters the planar loudspeaker sounds twice louder.     • •   How should I place my planar loudspeakers?   Planar loudspeakers should be clear from the furniture and the wall behind them. It is beneficial if next to the wall opposite to them a bookcase or other non-uniform structure is placed to allow diffusion or absorption. If the room is narrow, the loudspeakers could be brought close to the side walls to about a distance of 20 cm. They should be placed at the same level turned slightly towards the listener and with the tweeters in the "inside" part of the loudspeakers. This arrangement, usually, broadens the sound stage while maintaining focusing. In any case, please feel free to experiment with their positioning.     • •   What is the recommended power of the amplifier?   100 watts are usually enough, although this will much depend on your room, specific listening tastes, as well as the loudspeaker model used. The power limits of the loudspeakers are much higher than this minimum. <Synopsis>

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